All-Day Comfort, Sized Right: Liv Avail Advanced Pro 1 Force

The Liv Avail Advanced Pro 1 is designed as a comfortable endurance frame. Once, that meant giving a bike a geometry with a more upright position; but the Avail rises above simply doing that, offering a bike that’s able to go all day, but is still fun to ride.

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The Details

One of the biggest changes to the new Avail, which aids in its endurance goal, is larger tire clearance, made possible in part by a taller fork height and disc brakes. Designed for 32c tires versus the 25c on the previous version, this bike can eat up more road chatter, creating a ride that’s well suited to long days and light fire-trail riding. Liv’s compliant D-Fuse seat post helps smooth out the road even more. But to give the ride balance and more liveliness, Liv includes an OverDrive 2 steerer tube, which increases stiffness and creates better steering.

Smaller riders are pretty familiar with not having a bike that fits right. Our tester for this bike knows this reality quite well as a 5-foot-1 woman. All too often brands will just shrink down a frame and call it a day, forgetting that the frame needs to be proportionally adjusted. Reach is usually too long, creating an uncomfortable fit that only becomes more apparent on long days. And there are other components on a bike that are just as important for getting the fit right, like handlebars and stems, which need to be sized proportionally. Liv dials in a proper fit for smaller riders both through proper frame geometry and componentry, like correctly sized stems and handlebars.

Like all of Liv’s bikes, the Avail Advanced Pro is designed specifically for women. By using a compact geometry, the Avail offers a better fit across the board that also helps create a lighter, stiffer frame. The Avail is even tuned for women down to the carbon layup. Having analyzed data points on women’s body dimensions and strength, Liv knows where the bike needs to be more compliant or stiffer to take advantage of women’s natural strengths on the bike, and creates its frames accordingly.

In addition to the frame, several components on the Avail are tuned just for women. Liv’s D-Fuse handlebars provide a shorter reach and less drop. And the Liv Contact SL saddle is designed to reduce pressure specifically for female cyclists.

The Ride

Like we said, fitting a bike for smaller riders can be a challenge. But the Liv Avail fit like a glove with hardly any adjustments needed. That alone is a game-changer for many smaller riders used to being neglected over the years. The fact that it looks brilliant in a silvery-charcoal colorway is a bonus.

The SRAM Force eTap AXS group perfectly complements the endurance geometry, which provides a comfortable fit for all-day rides. Having a 1:1 gear ratio lets you ride farther and take on any climb at whatever pace you wish. Monster climbs can even be, dare we say, enjoyable in the off-season when fitness is lower. The only thing that might hold you back on a climb is the weight. We were hoping for a little lighter than 17.80 pounds (8 kilograms) for a size XS bike, even if it comes equipped with high-volume tires.

The compact endurance geometry really does provide the necessary comfort and support to ride all day. This adventure-ready bike handles just about whatever your ride throws at you, and makes it fun too. But the endurance geometry comes with some setbacks. On descents, the ride doesn’t have the aggressive edge you would find on dedicated race machines. Likewise, cornering feels a bit slow. Substituting in some narrower tires like 28c instead of the stock 32c tires can give this bike just a bit more edge when needed.

Specification

liv-cycling.com

$5,600; 8kg/17.80 lbs. (XS w/o pedals or cages). SRAM Force eTap AXS (46/33 crank, 10–33 cassette); Liv Contact SLR D-Fuse handlebars; Liv Contact SLR Flux stem; Giant D-Fuse SL seat post; Liv Contact SL saddle; Giant SLR 1 Disc 30 Composite WheelSystem wheels; Giant Gavia Fondo 1 32mm tubeless tires.